To be effective in the workplace, office etiquette refers to a set of unwritten rules that workers should obey. It’s a set of principles that are generally recognized as acceptable behavior.
Effective workplace etiquette may help change the landscape of an organization and may also lead to the difference between business success and company failure.
Here are some amazing office etiquettes that every organization and employees should follow:
- Other than the required, like talking on the phone and talking to friends, keeping the noise in an office down, you’re all there to work, after all.
- Respond to Messages from Colleagues in a Timely Manner. Reply in a timely manner when receiving emails, voice messages, Skype messages, texts, and other types of communication from colleagues rather than keeping them waiting.
- Respect is the crux of affable, productive company culture while operating in an open office environment. Treat coworkers with the same amount of respect that you would like yourself to be handled.
- Share the benefit with colleagues and teams if you have co-worked on a good project or mission.
- Keep your computer and phone quiet or silent, so it doesn’t alert anyone on your floor any time you get an email or call.
- Support new hires and interns with the rules by informing them. All of us feel anxious during our first few days at work. Show appreciation to new workers by reminding them about the ‘rules’ of the workplace, such as the time of breaks and lunch hours and where to make a drink.
- Don’t be late in your workplace. It’s a sign of unprofessionalism. Slinking half an hour into the office after everybody else is not going to paint yourself in a professional light. It’s a simple workplace etiquette requirement to be on time to work.
- Eat your lunch and snacks away from your desk. Nobody wants to work in a smelly place. Eat meals and drinks at the cafeteria, or down the road in a café.
- Don’t be late at your meetings. Always try to be on time in important meetings.
- You will portray yourself in a misleading light to fellow employees by running out the door as soon as it turns six o’clock. Staying a few minutes before the close of the business will not benefit you and will go a long way towards showing diligence towards your work.
Everyone makes mistakes every now and then, but if you have a slight etiquette slip-up at work, do not beat yourself up. Simply accept your faux pas and apologize as soon as possible to anyone you may have offended. Then think about what could have contributed to the mistake: did you feel overwhelmed or consumed outside of work with the handling of a problem? Try to find out the core reason and fix up yourself.